KALAMAZOO PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Welcome to Dr. Rita Raichoudhuri

By Press release submission

Jun 7, 2020

Kalamazoo Public Schools issued the following announcement on Jun. 1.

New Superintendent Begins June 1

It was the children who inspired Dr. Rituparna “Rita” Raichoudhuri to go into education.

Raichoudhuri, 40, will become the new superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools on June 1. She was selected by the KPS Board of Education in February to succeed Dr. Michael Rice, who was named the state superintendent of public instruction by the Michigan State Board of Education in May 2019. Deputy Superintendent Gary Start has served as the interim superintendent for the past year.

Raichoudhuri, who is a native of the San Francisco Bay area, was studying environmental science at the University of California, Davis, with the intention of going into environmental law when she had the opportunity to take an internship with a local elementary school. Her job was to work with students on topics of environmental citizenship and stewardship.

“I was with these students for a semester working on various hands-on projects together and talking about recycling, clean water, and basic human rights — they were so engaged,” she said. “I didn’t realize until then that young children can be so aware of the world around them — so interested in being better humans — and have such a high level of academic curiosity.

“It was one of the most defining moments of my life.”

Raichoudhuri, who had been focusing on environmental law and policy classes, changed her focus to education.

She went on to earn a master’s degree in education, with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction from Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and a doctorate in urban education leadership from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She also completed fellowships at the University of California, Berkeley, Northwestern University, and the Erickson Institute in Chicago.

And, although she felt a calling for a career in education, it wasn’t always easy. She struggled in her first year as a teacher.

“I was working with high-needs students who were dealing with a lot of trauma,” Raichoudhuri said. “At that time in teacher education, you didn’t get much theoretical learning about teaching students with trauma. I was suffering heavily from their residual trauma. I was feeling like I was a terrible teacher and that maybe this was not the calling for me.”

Despite her own personal doubts, there was someone who was in her corner: her principal. She learned first-hand the power of having a strong, supportive administration. Her principal as- signed a coach to work with her and provided professional development opportunities. Then, as she improved in the classroom, she said, he gave her leadership roles within the building to help nurture her potential and to keep her engaged not only in teaching — but in learning.

She began to lead school committees, sharing her new best practices and started to focus her interests on data-informed teaching practices. Her experience was a testament to how teacher empowerment and teacher-driven learning communities can transform schools.

“My students started to perform really well and soon became the top-performing class in the school,” she said. “The same students that people had given up on — and whom I almost gave up on— were shattering all stereotypes. It was a pivotal learning experience for me and many others.”

Raichoudhuri was asked to share her experiences at the district level, and she eventually transitioned from teacher to administrator. It wasn’t something she’d considered when she first stepped into the classroom.

“I don’t think I ever thought about all the possibilities and positions that existed in education beyond being a teacher,” she said. “I don’t think most teachers do as they enter into the field for the first time. They — as I was — are just interested in and excited about being in the classroom, with kids every day making magic happen.”

After teaching at Glenbrook Middle School from 2004 to 2008, she became director of special projects for the Mount Diablo United School District in Concord, Calif. In January of 2010, she moved to Chicago for a position as senior manager in the Chicago Public Schools Office of Performance. With CPS, she served as director of the Office of Professional Learning, 2011 to 2012, resident principal at Wells High School 2012-2013, principal at Wells 2013-2017, and executive director of Early College and Career Education in the Office of College and Career Success.

Raichoudhuri said she is excited to bring her wide array of educational experiences and interest in developing educator practices to engaging students in robust academic instruction and social emotional learning to the district and to begin working with teachers, staff, the community, families, and students.

“The biggest challenge in the K-12 system, and really almost all social and public systems in our country, is the equity gap — as we are seeing it play out so vividly as a result of the current crisis,” Raichoudhuri said. “I am committed to ensuring the best possible educational outcomes for students of all ages and to closing the achievement gap.”

Who is moving to Kalamazoo with you?

I recently purchased a home in Kalamazoo. It’s important to me to live in the community in which I’m serving. I’m moving to Kalamazoo by myself. I don’t have family in the Midwest. I’m so looking forward to making new friends, who, I’m sure, will become like family. The community has been so welcoming. I have received messages from teachers and other members of the KPS family. I feel very welcomed and I know Kalamazoo will feel like home in no time. I already feel like I belong.

Favorite movie?

My all-time favorite movie is “Dead Poet’s Society.” My eighth-grade English teacher actually introduced it to me. I was obsessed with it and asked my parents to buy me the videotape (yup, we didn’t have DVDs back then, I’m totally dating myself). I watched it over and over again until I had many of the lines memorized, “Oh Captain, my Captain.” Two other films made a mark as a grown up: “Dangerous Minds” and “Freedom Writers.”

Favorite meal?

I don’t think I have a favorite. It depends on my mood and what I’m craving at the moment. I love seafood and spicy foods with rich flavors.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Spare time is a luxury that rarely visits me. However, I love to travel. That’s how I reset mentally and re-energize to re- engage in the work. So, whether or not I can make time for any- thing else around self-care, I do make time to travel to an international destination every year to engage in a new culture, new cuisine, and alternative world views.

I also enjoy arts and crafts, reading, cooking, and gardening. When I lived in California, I hiked a lot, and it was like meditation. Chicago didn’t offer the opportunity to be in nature much. However, in Kalamazoo, with all her forest trails, I am looking forward to hiking again when the weather is nice.

Original source can be found here.